Agency OKs City’s Annexation Request
The Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission on Wednesday approved Santa Clarita’s bid to annex the 576-acre North Valencia II development.
The action comes a week after the state Public Utilities Commission upheld a judge’s ruling that Valencia Water Co., which would serve the project and other area developments, must prove it has an ample supply of water for current and future customers. Valencia Water Co. is owned by the Newhall Land & Farming Co., developer of Valencia and of North Valencia II.
Seven of the nine LAFCO commissioners voted to approve the annexation, with abstentions from Yvonne Brathwaite Burke and Zev Yaroslavsky, who said through a spokesman that “LAFCO was being asked to bless a project when concerns and questions on the environmental side had not been sufficiently addressed.”
However, whether the 1,900-home project lies inside or outside Santa Clarita’s boundaries, city officials did not expect the water issue would block its annexation.
“Regarding the issue of water, it doesn’t really matter what jurisdiction [North Valencia II] is in,” said Jeff Lambert, Santa Clarita director of planning. “The applicant, whether it’s Newhall Land or Valencia Water Co., will have to show they have enough water to supply the project.”
The final step in the annexation process is a public hearing scheduled Nov. 14 during the Santa Clarita City Council’s next meeting.
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